From part 32...
'Maybe this whole being Superman thing was just a bad idea,' he thought, discouraged, as he soared higher into the darkness. 'If I'd never put on this ridiculous costume in the first place, I wouldn't have covert government groups hunting me down, and criminals trying to kill me and the woman I love.'
Sinking into an even deeper depression, Clark tried to come up with a solution to the predicament he was in. How could he keep being Superman and still keep Lois safe? She was his main priority, first and foremost. He'd rather be alone than see her hurt. Seeing her suffering as she was...it was just too hard.
One solution crept into his mind. But just as quickly as it had come, he pushed it away. 'There has to be another way,' he insisted. But as hard as he tried to come up with something else, he just couldn't. There didn't seem to be any other options.
Finally he sighed in resignation. As much as he hated the idea, he knew it was the only way. He only hoped Lois would understand.
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PART 33
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Lois leaned back in her desk chair and let out a deep breath. She was tired. But it was a good kind of tired.
It was Friday, and only her second day back at work. Jim had been visibly relieved to see her arrive yesterday morning, as if seeing her for himself reassured him that she was on her way to making a full recovery. Even so, he had made it clear that she was confined to the newsroom for her first two days back at work so she wouldn't overexert herself. She surprised herself--as well as Jim--when she didn't argue. Stuck in the newsroom with smaller assignments or not, it still felt good to be back in the game.
A yawn worked its way out and she glanced up at the clock. It was only three-thirty, but it felt more like quitting time. Jim had suggested she go home early, and at that moment, Lois decided that was exactly what she was going to do. A hot bath and some rest sounded wonderful.
She switched off her computer and stood up. Reaching for her coat, she eased her heavy, casted arm into the sleeve, frowning at its weight and awkwardness. She'd take the broken arm, though, she realized, and her sore ribs when she thought of the alternative. Her so-called "source" had tried to kill her. And very nearly had. She'd take the broken bones instead, thank you very much.
Gathering up what was left of her paperwork, she slid the research into her desk draw and headed for home. Her apartment building was surprisingly quiet when she arrived. 'Probably because everybody is still at work,' she surmised. She rode up in the elevator, then cringed at how loud the chime sounded as the doors slid open. The last thing she wanted to do at that moment was alert Agnes to her presence.
As much as she loved her neighbor, she'd had enough of Agnes's mother-hen fussing that week to last her a lifetime. Between Agnes's fussing and Clark's irritating moodiness, she'd been glad to start back to work and have some sort of normalcy back in her life.
She frowned as she thought about Clark. He'd been so great to do whatever he could to help her get better the last few days, and had even taken Monday and Tuesday off of work so he could stay and help her with whatever she needed. She'd almost wished he hadn't. And she hated feeling that way. But his moodiness the last few days had become such a frustration. She could tell there was something serious bothering him, but he refused to admit anything was wrong.
His refusal to explain what was bothering him had left her to her own imaginings, the most likely--and disturbing--answer she'd come up with was that he thought of her as a burden. In the past he'd always been happy to help her, and he'd been so wonderful when she'd been hurt before. But this time....
She shook her head and her frown deepened. That was the only thing she could think of--that Clark thought of her as a burden. And that was the one thing she never wanted to be considered.
Feeling saddened once again at the thought, she pushed her key into her apartment door's lock and opened the door. Slipping unnoticed by Agnes into her apartment, she shut the door and leaned up against it, sighing with relief.
She walked into her apartment, dropping her attache onto the couch and heading on into the living room. Just then she caught sight of a solitary figure sitting in the overstuffed arm chair in the corner and jumped. Then she saw who it was and relaxed.
Clark.
She gave an embarrassed laugh. "Clark, you have got to stop doing that. You scare me to death every time you do."
"Sorry," he apologized softly, standing up and coming toward her. "I tried you at work a few minutes ago, but they told me you'd left for home. I thought I'd fly out here instead."
She noticed then that Clark was still wearing the Suit--and an eerily serious expression on his face. "Clark?" she asked, feeling a sense of dread settling into the pit of her stomach. "What's wrong?"
He didn't answer for a long minute, his lips stretched in a firm line. Then he drew in a deep breath and let it out. "Lois, we need to talk."
Lois felt the color drain from her face. Whatever he was going to tell her, she was sure she wasn't going to like it. The events of the past few days flashed through her head, and the feelings of being a burden to this, the man she loved, brought new fear rushing to the surface. Could it be that he wanted to break up with her? To relieve himself of his 'burden'?
For one agonizing moment, she realized what it must have felt like for Clark almost two weeks before when she'd left his apartment, with him having to face the fact that their relationship might be on the brink of ending. It must have been terrifying, because that's exactly what it was for her now. She'd come to her senses the last couple of days, realizing how crazy she would be to let Clark go. But now it seemed it wouldn't matter how she felt. She couldn't make him stay with her if he didn't want to.
Fearing what was to come, her chest and throat tightened painfully and she found it hard to breathe. Starting to feel a little light-headed, she reached for the arm of the couch to steady herself.
Clark's solemn expression quickly turned to one of concern as he rushed to her side. He held onto her arm and put his other hand on the small of her back to keep her upright. "Lois? Are you okay? Are you feeling sick?"
Barely hearing his words through the rushing sound in her brain, she nodded numbly and let him guide her onto the couch.
"Stay here," Clark ordered, turning and hurrying from the room. He was back a moment later, pushing a glass into her hand. "Here, drink this."
Lois stared down at the glass of juice and her stomach turned at the sight. He wanted to break up with her over orange juice? She would have thought he'd have more decency than that. She sniffled as tears filled her eyes, and she was helpless to prevent them from falling.
Clark lifted his hand to her cheek, making her jump. She looked up at him, but instead of the cool indifference she expected to see in his eyes, she saw only concern and love. And that made her heart ache even more.
She pulled back from his touch and glared at him. "Don't," she whispered fiercely. "Don't try to pretend you care when you're only going to break my heart. Just tell me what you have to say and get it over with."
Clark's eyebrows flew up his forehead. "What? Lois, what are you talking about?"
She glanced down at the glass in her hand, then looked around for somewhere to put the untouched juice. He hands were shaking so badly she feared she would spill it--or give in to the urge to throw it in his face. He might deserve it, but her carpet didn't. She didn't want an orange stain on her light-colored carpet to forever remind herself of this moment.
She spotted the end table next to her and quickly set the glass down. Then she turned back to him and swiped at the tears on her cheeks. "You know what I'm talking about. I know you're about to break up with me. Just do it and get it over with."
Clark's mouth gaped open and he stared at her in stunned silence. At last he managed to gather himself. He snapped his mouth shut and reached for her shaking hands. "Lois, I'm not going to break up with you! Are you crazy?"
Lois stared back at him, uncertainly and hope flashing across her face. "Y--you're not?"
"No!" Clark shook his head, his eyes wide. "What on earth would make you think that?"
"Well..." Lois stammered, feeling both sheepish and anxious. "I--well, you've been so moody all week, and you never answered me when I asked what was wrong. I just figured you hated being here and taking care of me. That you thought of me as a burden. And then you show up here, saying 'we need to talk'.... I mean, nobody says those words when it's good news. It usually means you're about to be dumped."
Unable to help himself, a grin flashed across Clark's face. He tightened his hands around hers and shook his head again vehemently. "Lois, I am not 'dumping' you. And you are *not* a burden. I would never think that. I love you." Then, as if to prove it, he pressed a light kiss to her lips, then gathered her into his arms, hugging her tightly.
Lois closed her eyes as an immense sense of relief flowed through her. She buried her head against Clark's shoulder and slipped her arms around his neck. "Oh, Clark, I was so scared that's what you were going to do. I'm not sure I could have handled that."
Clark hugged her tighter. "No way, Lois. I'm not about to let go of the best thing that's ever happened to me."
After a moment, she pulled out of his embrace and studied the myriad of emotions evident in his eyes. "Then what is it?" she asked. "What's wrong? If you didn't come here to break up with me, then what did you need to talk to me about?"
Clark's expression grew pained. It was the same expression she'd seen on his face much of the last week. "I didn't come here to break up with you, but I do have something I need to tell you. I've made a decision. And since it affects my parents as well, I was hoping to get you all together so I can tell you at the same time. Do you feel well enough to fly with me to Smallville?"
Lois nodded and stood up. "Just give me a minute to change," she answered, heading for her bedroom. As she pulled jeans and a sweater from her closet, she felt a huge sense of relief that Clark wasn't breaking up with her. But then what did he have to tell her and his parents that was causing him such sadness? Clark was such an upbeat, positive person that not much got him down.
Deciding she would know soon enough, she changed, then went back to Clark, who was waiting for her in the kitchen. He had her jacket open and helped her into it. Then they went out onto the terrace and he gathered her into his arms.
"You ready?" he asked, holding her more tightly against his chest as a cold winter breeze picked up.
She nodded. "Let's go."
~*~*~*~*~
The trip didn't take long, and Clark changed out of his Suit and into his regular clothes before leading her up the steps to his Smallville farmhouse. Clark's parents were waiting for him as they entered, a concerned look on their faces. Obviously he had told them, as well, that they were coming, and that he had something important to tell them.
"What's wrong, Clark?" his mother asked as they all went into the kitchen and sat down around the table.
Jonathan leaned forward and rested his forearms on the table. "Yes, son, what's this all about?"
Clark sighed as he looked around at them, meeting each person's gaze in turn. Finally he took a deep breath, steeled himself, then began resolutely.
"I've come to a decision. You all know it's been a really hard couple of weeks..." He glanced over at his parents, who nodded. He'd finally broken down and told them about his being shot, and had shared everything with them that he knew about the meteorite that had almost taken his life. Then he turned to Lois and reached for the fingers protruding from her cast. "And for some, it's been even tougher than others." He caught Lois's eye and flinched at the pain he saw there as she remembered her ordeal.
Any hesitation he might have had at following through with his decision suddenly vanished. He sat up straighter, stiffening his back.
"So, I guess what I'm trying to say is, I've done a lot of thinking, and I haven't come to this decision lightly." He met his parents' concerned gazes once again. "And I'm sorry if this will come as a shock, but...well..."
"What is it, Clark?" Lois prompted, squeezing the fingers that still held hers.
Clark licked his lips, then took another deep breath. Finally he forced himself to go ahead and say the words. "I've decided to stop being Superman."
The room grew deathly silent. Three pairs of eyes stared at him in shock as his announcement sank in.
It was Lois who recovered first. She closed her gaping jaw and glanced at Martha and Jonathan, who looked as flabbergasted as she felt. Then she looked back at Clark, her eyes wide. "Clark, why?"
"Lois, are you serious?" he snorted, a defensive tone creeping into his voice. "You have to ask after what you've been through? Do you have any idea how awful it's been, seeing you hurt not once, but twice, and knowing that I've been useless to prevent it?"
Lois opened her mouth to argue once again that her being injured hadn't been his fault, but Clark rushed on before she could.
"And what about me?" he demanded uncharacteristically, his voice increasing in volume. "When I decided to be Superman, I did it because I wanted to help people. I was tired of trying to do that in constant fear of being discovered. I thought putting on that flashy Suit and being some super hero in disguise was the perfect answer. Since then, I've realized it wasn't. Quite the opposite, in fact. I never signed on for this, knowing that covert government organizations would be hunting me down, shooting poisonous pieces of Meteorites at me. In my wildest dreams I never would have thought I could be killed. I've always been invulnerable! And now I know I'm not. And that scares me. But what scares me even more is the fact that it makes me feel helpless--helpless to stop the ones I love from getting hurt in the crossfire."
He paused to take a deep breath, then went on, his voice firm and unyielding. "Lois, that factory was rigged and you were lured there because somebody was mad at me. At us. At what we did together. Do you think a day has gone by since then that I don't feel plagued with guilt, knowing I should have prevented this? That I don't blame myself? With all the powers I have, I can't even save the people I love most from getting hurt. I only put them in more danger because there are men who want me dead, and will do anything to hurt me and the people I associate with. I keep thinking that if I'd never been Superman, you would have never been hurt. It kills me to know I've put you in danger, Lois! And I won't do it. Not any more."
His angry tirade slowed, and he took the hand he'd abandoned a short time ago to gesture with his hands as he spoke. His troubled eyes looked searchingly into Lois's when he finally continued. "Lois, the bottom line is, I don't want you to be hurt anymore. And if giving up Superman is what I need to do to protect you, it's a sacrifice I'm ready to make."
Lois rose shakily from the table and stared at him, her expression somewhere between hurt and anger. Her voice was low, with barely contained anger as she responded. "You can't lay all that on me."
Clark's brows furrowed as he frowned. "Lois, I thought you'd be glad. This means you won't have to worry about me being gunned for anymore." He looked genuinely surprised as she only continued to stand there glaring at him, her hands balled into fists. Then he sighed and shook his head. "Besides, things have become so hard ever since I became Superman. Don't you think that says something?"
"So when things get tough you're just going to give up?" Lois's eyes flashed dangerously.
Clark's jaw dropped. "*I'm* giving up?" he asked incredulously.
"Yes, that's right." She nodded, her tone challenging. "You're just scared. And that's not a good reason to give up."
Clark let out a humorless laugh. "That's funny, Lois, because I think it was only two weeks ago that you wanted to call it quits, because *you* were the one who got scared."
"Yes, I was scared, Clark!" she yelled, taking a step toward him. "But that didn't mean I wanted you to stop being Superman! And yes, I freaked out, but you can't blame me for that. You were lying there on the floor of that warehouse bleeding to death! If I hadn't gotten to you sooner, you would have! So I think I had a right to panic. Besides, you should know by now that I overreact to pretty much everything. I do that! Ask anybody! Ask my colleagues at the Chronicle. And when you combine my overreacting with my impulsiveness, it becomes a volatile combination. I get hold of something and refuse to let it go. They don't call me Mad Dog Lane for nothing!"
Clark's eyebrows lifted and the hint of a smile darted across his face. "Mad Dog Lane?"
She paused. "Yeah, well, it's a little nickname I've been given." She scowled at him angrily. "And don't you ever use it. My point is, I overreact, and I jump to conclusions, and I dive into the pool without checking the water level first. I'm hasty and impulsive, and you shouldn't listen to what I say! Especially if it leads you to decide to quit being Superman!"
Clark stood up beside her and shook his head. "But my decision to stop being Superman isn't just because of you, Lois. People are in danger because I created Superman. What about those jumpers? That bomb exploding at the Carlin building? And that bomb scare that frightened all those workers, and turned out to be someone's way of testing their little piece of meteorite on me? If I'd never got it into my head that I could disguise myself to help people, none of those things would have never happened."
His parents had been quiet up until now, but Martha's quiet voice finally broke into the conversation. "But Clark, those things weren't Superman's fault. It was the fault of whoever did those things."
"It's the same thing, Mom." Clark sighed, glancing over at her. "They were done because 'Superman' existed. I feel to blame. Every time somebody gets hurt because of me, I'll always wonder if any of this was worth it." He shook his head. "This has all just gotten too hard."
"Of course it's hard, Clark!" Lois said, gesturing wildly with her hands. "What did you think it was going to be like? Did you think the criminals of the world were going to throw rose petals at your feet and welcome you with open arms? No! What you decided to do is hard. I can attest to that, after seeing what you've been through these last few weeks. But hard things are worth fighting for, don't you think?"
"Some things are, yes." He nodded. "But maybe not all things. Maybe this is one of those things that's better to just let go. I don't know how or why I have the powers that I do, or what exactly I was expected to do with them. Maybe I wasn't supposed to do anything with them! Can't I want to live my life like a normal man, have a girlfriend he loves, and not worry about the next villain trying to kill him or the love of his life?"
"Yes, you can want that, Clark! But you also can't give up being who you are." Lois's flashing eyes met with Clark's determined ones for a long moment. Then Lois's voice softened. She put a hand on his arm and looked at him pleadingly.
"There are millions of people in this world, Clark...people who need you. And not just you, the superhero who can save them from crime and natural disasters, but you, the icon. You give everyone someone to look up to, to build a few hopes around. People strive to become better people because of you. If you leave all that behind, the world is going to mourn their loss. And I'll have that hanging over my head for the rest of my life, knowing I was the one who made you quit being the man you were born to be."
Clark sighed deeply, then shook his head. "I understand what you're trying to say, Lois." He turned to include his parents in his statement. "What all of you are trying to say. But my mind is made up. None of this is what I wanted to have happen. It's just gotten too dangerous."
The room was quiet for a moment, then Lois straightened and sighed in defeat. "Then I guess there's nothing left to discuss," she said quietly. Refusing to meet his gaze, she turned and walked out of the house, shutting the door quietly behind her.
~*~*~*~*~
Clark let his head roll backward in frustration. This had not gone well.
He sighed and looked to his parents for understanding, but his dad was staring down at the table, trying to digest everything that had just been said, and his mom was staring back at him wordlessly, a mixture of emotions on her face.
"Mom," he pleaded, hoping she would say something. He'd always counted on her to be honest with him, to reassure him he was doing the right thing. But this time the words didn't come from her mouth.
She shook he head sadly and shrugged. "Ultimately, it's your decision, Clark." She stood up and moved to the kitchen window, staring unseeingly out into the night. Then her voice came again quietly. "Go talk to Lois. She needs you."
Clark nodded solemnly, then turned and went the way she'd gone. He opened the front door and stepped slowly out onto the porch. "Lois?" he called softly, his eyes searching the darkened drive and lawn for any sign of her.
Movement to his right caught his attention, and he turned to see Lois was sitting in the far corner of the porch swing. He hesitated for a moment, waiting for her to look at him or respond. When she didn't, he sighed and crossed the porch toward her. He stopped beside her and gestured to the open space beside her.
"Can I sit down?"
She shrugged. Realizing that it was as close to a 'yes' as he was going to get, he sat down and looked at her for a long moment. She was staring off to her right at the barn in the near distance, the breeze rustling her hair and tingeing her cheeks a pale pink from the cold. He also caught the shimmer of tears in her eyes.
"Are you okay?" he asked, longing to comfort her but not sure how to do it right then.
She merely shrugged once again, her gaze unwavering from its distant focus. Clark toed the swing, causing it to move back and forth against the pressure. They rocked in silence for several moments, Lois refusing to speak and Clark uncertain what to say. After an almost unbearable couple of minutes, Clark saw Lois shiver. Without hesitation, he reached for the afghan his mother always had draped over the back of the swing and tucked it around Lois's shoulders. He felt relieved when she accepted it without anger and tightened it around herself.
Clark stretched his arm along the back of the swing behind her and turned slightly toward her. "Lois, talk to me," he pleaded, at last admitting defeat in their battle of silence. "Tell me what you're thinking."
"You can't run away from this, Clark," she told him in a pained whisper. "And neither can I."
He frowned in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"You were right in the house about one thing, Clark. I *am* scared. Okay, there. I admitted it." She turned and looked at him, and he could more clearly see the tears glimmering in her eyes. "I'm scared because now that I've finally found you and have you in my life, I don't want to lose you. But I know if I run now, I *will* lose you. It didn't take me long to decide which was worse."
Clark opened his mouth to respond, but Lois shook her head. "No, Clark, let me finish. I *am* scared about losing you...about you getting hurt again, and of the uncertainly that comes with loving a man as unique as you. But I've done a lot of thinking this past couple of weeks, and I know now that you were right that night in your apartment. People do come in and out of our lives, but the ones that come in that make you want to keep going...they're the ones we need to hold onto. And you're that person in my life, Clark. I love you and I need you. I always will."
Tears filled Clark's eyes, and he drew her close, dropping his head to hers. "I need you, too, Lois. I love you so much it hurts. And I'm scared, too," he admitted. "That's why I think it's better to just put Superman behind us."
"Clark, no." Lois lifted her head from his shoulder and looked at him searchingly. "As scary as this all is, we can't keep letting our guilt and our fears control us. I'd rather spend a short time with you filled with happiness than a lifetime alone. Being lonely and scared is all it's cracked to be, and I don't want to spend my life like that anymore. And neither can you."
"But..."
Sighing with frustration, Lois stood up from the swing, causing it to bang back against the house with her abrupt movement. She shivered slightly without the blanket around her shoulders, and jammed her hands into her jeans pockets in an effort to keep warm.
"Clark, you can't give up being Superman. You put yourself out there every day for the world to criticize, yet you keep doing what you can do because you know it makes a difference. And I admire you for that more than you could possibly know. And as hard as it may be for me down the road, I know that I need to let you be that person. You can't quit, Clark. Especially not because of me."
She shook her head, then went on. "I know you're scared about the fact that being Superman puts the people you love at risk...puts me at risk. And I understand that. I do. And I'm touched by the fact that you love me enough to make a sacrifice this big, but Clark, we don't need to run away from the things we're afraid of. If we're together we can help each other, be there for each other. Then, with that love and support we share, we can get each other through the hard times. And maybe then we won't be so scared anymore."
It was quiet for long minutes, with only the sound of the wintry breeze rustling the trees around them. Just when Lois decided she'd said nothing to change Clark's mind, he stood up and moved toward her slowly. His eyes were moist and the muscle in his jaw moved emotionally when he stopped before her.
She looked up at him expectantly, but he didn't speak. Finally the hint of a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. She furrowed her brows in confusion. "What?"
"You're right, Lois. You're absolutely right."
"Um...okay," she finally managed, her tone suspicious. When he didn't offer anything further, she nodded slowly. "Then...good. It's settled. You keep being Superman, and I promise to try not to be so scared about everything." She looked at Clark, who was still standing there smiling at her, and she groaned in frustration. "Clark, will you say something? Why are you just standing there looking at me like that?"
"Because I feel this sudden and irresistible urge to kiss you."
Lois rolled her eyes and took a step back, still frustrated with him at the bombshell he'd dropped on all of them earlier. "Clark, don't."
He made up for her step backward by taking one of his own forward. Then to prevent her from moving away, he reached for her hands, pulling them from her jeans pockets and holding them tightly. "Even with all that we've had to deal with, and everything that I've put you through, you still support me. That means more to me than you could ever imagine."
He pulled her toward him, then leaned down, his lips curved into a mischievous smile mere inches away from hers. "Clark," she protested, though he could tell she was softening. "Don't do this. I'm still mad at you."
"Well, then maybe a kiss would not only thank you, but coerce you out of being mad at me, as well." He flashed her a boyish grin, then ignored her half-hearted protests as he pressed his lips to hers.
Their kiss slowly increased in intensity until they at last pulled away from each other, breathless. Clark then pulled her into his arms, breathing in the scent of strawberries and cream that he'd come to love over the past several months.
Lois allowed herself to nestle against him, her protests at his nearness forgotten. "Clark, you make me crazy," she said at last.
He chuckled softly, the sound rumbling in his chest. "Thank you, Lois."
"For saying that you make me crazy?"
"No." He shook his head. "For believing in me, even when I don't."
"Well, that will just have to be something we'll have to work on...you believing in yourself. And I plan on sticking around for as long as it takes."
He pulled back from their embrace and looked down at her, a question in his eyes. "Just for as long as it takes?"
She smiled up at him, then stood up on tiptoe to kiss him lightly. "And a lot longer than that."
"Good," he murmured, once again taking her into his arms.
When he felt Lois shiver, he released her, but kept an arm around to keep her warm. "I think we should get you back inside."
But Lois shook her head. "I'm cold, but I don't want to go in just yet. Can't we just sit on the porch swing and cuddle for a while? Between your body warmth and that afghan, I think I can weather the cold a bit longer."
When her eyes looked pleadingly into his, he moaned and rolled his eyes. "Lois, I can never deny you anything when you look at me like that. I can only imagine the hours you've spent in front of the mirror practicing that look."
She laughed. "Uh-oh, you found me out. I'm glad to hear it works, though. I'll have to remember for future reference that you're powerless against it. Just think of everything I could con you into." She slid her hands suggestively down his sides, causing him to flinch with pleasure.
"Okay, that's enough of that," he protested with a quiet laugh, his eyes darting to the kitchen window only a few feet away. "My parents are right in there. And as much as I'd love to ravish you right here and now, that's not exactly something I want my parents happening upon."
Lois laughed again and let him lead her to the porch swing. He picked up the large afghan, wrapped it around himself, then sat down with one leg stretched out lengthwise on the long swing. Then he held the afghan open for Lois invitingly. She didn't hesitate as she moved onto his lap.
She sighed contentedly as he wrapped the blanket--and his arms--around her and pulled her back against his chest. "This is nice," she breathed, enjoying the comforting rocking motion of the swing as Clark moved it back and forth with the toe of his foot hanging off the swing and resting on the porch.
He tightened his arms even further around her and nestled his face against the side of hers. "It is," he agreed in a whisper, his breath on her ear causing Lois to tingle all over.
They sat that way for a long time, content to simply revel in each others' love. Finally they heard the front door open. Lois lifted her head from Clark's chest and saw Martha's head appear. His mother glanced around cautiously, then smiled when she spotted them cuddled up on the swing.
She stepped outside and crossed her arms against the chill. "Everything okay?" she asked, taking a couple of steps toward them. "We were getting worried about you two."
"Yeah, everything's okay," Clark reassured her, a sheepish look on his face. "We talked it out, and Lois made me realize I was being hasty."
Martha breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, Clark, I'm so glad to hear that." She leaned back against the porch railing and met her son's gaze. "Your father and I would have supported you in whatever decision you made, but we hated the idea of you giving up everything you've worked so hard for."
Clark nodded. "I know. And I appreciate you're willingness to support me, even when I make a decision that may not be the right one. You know how stubborn I can be."
"Pigheaded," Lois corrected, her words somewhat muted by the thick afghan.
Clark and his mom both laughed. "Okay, pigheaded," he agreed, hugging her tenderly from behind. But then his smile faded and he looked back at his mom. "I'm sorry, Mom. I shouldn't have come to you with such a rash decision and upset you and Dad with it. I should have talked this out with you guys first. I just got scared and thought things through on my own. And I shouldn't have. I'm sorry."
"Oh, honey, you don't need to apologize," she told him, coming over to give him a motherly hug and kiss the top of his head. "As much as your father and I would like to, we can't imagine what it's like to be in your shoes. Ultimately, we realize your decisions are yours to make, and the only thing we can do is to be there for you. For both of you." Her supportive smile turned to include Lois.
Lois smiled up at Martha when she stepped away. "Thanks, Martha."
"Yeah, thanks, Mom," Clark said softly, giving his mom a grateful smile.
Martha nodded, then crossed her arms over her chest as she continued to watch them for a moment. Then she smiled tenderly. "You guys just make such a sweet picture, snuggled up on the swing like that." Just then her eyes widened and she held up a hand. "Don't you guys move. I'll be right back."
She hurried into the house and returned moments later with a camera. Clark groaned. "Oh, Mom," he protested with an embarrassed smile. He shook his head and told Lois, "Mom's the Kent shutterbug. Dad and I are afraid to do anything out of the ordinary for fear we'll turn around and see that telltale flash go off in our eyes."
Martha laughed as she ignored Clark's protests and removed the lens cap. Then she took a step back and looked at them through the camera. "You guys will all thank me for it someday," she insisted with a smile. "Now say cheese."
Lois and Clark obliged, and after she'd hustled back into the house, Lois laughed softly. "Your mom is so great. You are one lucky man."
He tightened his arms around her and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "I know. I have you." They rocked for another minute, but then Clark stood up and pulled Lois with him, eliciting a disappointed groan from her.
"Come on, Lois, it's getting too cold out here for you. Let's get you inside and warmed up before I take you back. On second thought," he said, pausing. "What do you say about spending the weekend with me? At least that way I can make sure you get lots of rest and you can't be pulling out all that research you always have stashed around your apartment."
Lois smacked his chest. "I know how to take time off."
"You do?" He laughed. "The last time you were in Metropolis with me, you were supposed to be taking things easy while you recovered from your concussion. Instead, you practically begged to go to work with me, and we ended up nailing the biggest story in months. That's not exactly what I call taking it easy."
"Okay, okay." Lois rolled her eyes. "But just to prove it to you that I *can* relax for an entire weekend, I plan to take you up on your offer." She sidled up to him and pressed herself against his chest flirtatiously. "I'll even suggest some activities to keep us busy through the weekend."
Clark moaned as her fingers trailed down his chest...and lower. He quickly captured her hands and lifted them to his lips. "I'm sure you could consider me a willing party."
"Good." Lois giggled as she reached up and kissed him tenderly. When she pulled back, her eyes were more serious as she lifted a hand to his face and stroked his cheek. "I'm glad I could change your mind quitting. The world needs Superman. Almost as much as I need *you*."
Clark closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. Then he reached up to cover her hand with his. His eyelids fluttered open as he gazed back down at her. "And I need you. I don't know what I'd do without you."
A mischievous grin flashed across her face and she pulled her hand from his face. "Oh, you'd just be a wreck, that's all," she teased as she turned to go inside.
He laughed and followed her into the house. "You're right, Lois," he said. "You're absolutely right."
**********
The sunlight coming in through Clark's apartment windows was starting to fade. Lois reached for the lamp on the end table next to the couch, where she'd lazily spent the better part of Sunday afternoon. She clicked the knob, causing a stream of light to fall across the research on her lap.
She was alone in Clark's apartment for the moment, 'Superman' having been needed somewhere in the city. He'd been gone just over an hour, and Lois had found herself quickly bored. Nothing on television had held her interest, and the books on Clark's shelves weren't really what she was in the mood for.
It hadn't taken her long to find the stack of research they had gathered on Lex Luthor, and all the companies they'd investigated in hopes of connecting the so-called philanthropist to the illegal activity they suspected him of.
Better able to see the pages in front in the light from the lamp, she continued to pour over the information. There just had to be some evidence of Luthor's involvement in these pages somewhere. There just had to be. But as hard as she looked, she wasn't finding anything.
She finally leaned back on the couch and sighed. She had just wiped a hand across her tired eyes when a gust of wind threatened to send the papers on her lap scattering. Letting out a yelp, she made a grab for them.
The sound of footsteps approaching made her smile. "You really should warn me before you do that," she scolded.
"Sorry," Clark said with a laugh as he spun out of the Suit and into jeans and a T-shirt before coming to sit beside her.
Curiously, he looked down at the stack of papers in her lap. Seeing what they were, he started to laugh. "One hour! I've been gone for one hour and already you're working. I thought you were going to prove to me this weekend you could relax."
She smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, I got a little bored with you gone. Besides," she leaned over to kiss him, "I've done a lot of other relaxing activities with you this weekend." Her smile turned teasing as she deepened the kiss and put her hand on his thigh.
"Mmmm," Clark murmured, grinning as he leaned into their kiss. "Yes, you did."
When they finally pulled apart, Clark put his arm around her and drew her closer to his side. He nodded at the research in front of her. "What exactly are you looking for?"
She leaned her head back against his arm and groaned. "I don't know!" she growled in frustration. "There's got to be something here we can use to incriminate Luthor. But if there is, I'm just not finding it. What are we missing, Clark?"
He sighed and shook his head. "I don't know, Lois, but don't worry. We'll get him. It's just a matter of time."
"I hope so." She picked up the papers and leaned forward, dropping them onto the coffee table with a thump. "If we don't find something soon, I'm going to go crazy! I just know he's behind all this--those 'tests,' the meteorite bullet, my attack in the parking garage...the explosives in that old factory."
Her voice faltered at the memory. But then she managed to rally herself as she stood up and started to pace back in forth in front of Clark, the pent-up frustration building within her too much to contain.
"If it's the last thing I do, I'm going to stick around Metropolis and find *something* to nail that man with!" she insisted, her determination showing clearly on her face. "He's dirty. I know it! And to think a man of his wealth and power uses his resources to eliminate his competition, as well as cheat, lie, and steal his way to where he is, it just makes me so mad! We work so hard to make this world a better place, to expose the injustices and right the wrongs around us, but all Luthor wants to do is get rid of us for it. And I won't stand for it! After everything he's done to us, I'm going to see to it that he pays. And if it means that I need to stick around Metropolis and investigate him day and night until we find something on him, that's what I'm going to do. When we get through with him, he's going to wish he never lived."
Clark's smile grew as he watched her, loving the way she had worked herself into a fury. Finally her pacing came to a halt and she turned to look at him, waiting for his response. When he didn't say anything, she cocked an eyebrow at him.
"What?" she demanded, crossing her arms over her chest defensively.
"Why don't you?" he asked, his voice soft.
She looked at him strangely. "Why don't I what?"
"Stick around Metropolis."
Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "For the week?"
He shook his head. "No, I was thinking a little more long term."
"How long term?" she asked, letting her arms fall to her sides.
"How does forever sound?"
Lois's expression softened and she stepped toward him. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?" she said on a sigh, sitting back down next to him on the couch.
"As a matter of fact, I would." He nodded and reached for her hand. "Other than loving the idea of having you here with me as we track down Luthor's connection to all this and helping you destroy him, I can't tell you how much I love the thought of seeing you every day, and working at your side."
Lois sighed. "You know as well as I do that I can't stay here forever."
"Why not?" Clark asked. "What's keeping you in San Francisco?"
She let out a humorless laugh. "My job, for one."
"So, get a job here," he said. "Work at the Planet. You know Perry thinks the world of you already. I'm sure he'd hire you in a heartbeat. Your reputation as a journalist would be an incredible asset to the paper. He'd be crazy not to hire you."
Lois didn't say anything for several long moments. Then she sighed. "I have to admit, you make it sound so easy..."
"It *is* easy, Lois," Clark insisted, squeezing her hand. "Just say the word. Perry would love to have you. And so would I."
Lois melted at the gentle, loving look in his eyes. "You would?" she asked quietly.
"You know I would." He nodded, his expression sincere. "I would love nothing more."
Lois was surprised as she caught herself actually thinking about what it would be like to stay there in Metropolis, with Clark, Perry, and Jimmy. She couldn't remember the last time she felt more attached to a group of people.
But then the reality of what she was thinking settled down upon her and she shook her head. "I can't just move here, Clark," she insisted, standing up and turning her back to Clark, trying to distance herself from the more emotional side of herself that seemed to be taking over. She wrapped her arms around herself and shook her head to clear it of its non-rational thoughts. "I've got obligations to my boss, and to Agnes--"
Clark stood up beside her and grabbed her arms, turning her back around to face him. "But what about your obligation to *yourself*, Lois? What about your obligation to your heart? Doesn't that count for anything?"
She thought for a long moment, feeling the emotional side of the argument rising to the surface once again. Emotion welled up within her, and she felt a single tear slide down her cheek. Clark lifted his hand to wipe it away with the pad of his thumb, his gentle touch only serving to deepen Lois's confusion.
"I don't know, Clark. I want to," she told him on a strangled whisper, "I just...I'm confused."
Clark leaned forward and gathered her into his arms. "I know," he whispered as he held her tightly and lifted a hand to stroke her hair. "And I know it's unfair of me to even ask you to leave your home. Maybe I should be thinking of leaving *mine* and moving to San Francisco. And maybe that's what I need to do. It just seems like we've finally reached that point in our relationship where the distance between us has become too great. I want to be with you, Lois. Every hour of every day. And I know you feel the same way."
Lois finally pulled out of his embrace and nodded at his words. "I do. I can't ask you to leave Metropolis, though. Your friends are here, and I know how important those good friends are to you. In your line of work, they're a little hard to come by." She gave him a tremulous smile, and he realized she meant 'Superman' when she referred to his 'line of work.'
She shook her head. "No, if anyone is to move, it should be me. I have the least to leave behind, I guess."
"That's not true," he insisted, taking her hands. "I didn't mean to imply that your life and your friends are any less important than mine. You have Agnes and Jim, and they've both been such important people in your life. But moving doesn't have to mean you say goodbye to them forever. You're forgetting that I can fly you anywhere you want in a matter of minutes. And I'm not saying you have to make a decision now, either. We can both think about it, Lois. There's no rush, okay?"
She nodded tearfully. "Okay." After a long moment, she reached up to wipe the remnants of her tears from her cheeks. Then she gave a half-hearted laugh. "This wasn't exactly how I'd planned to spend the last hour or so of our weekend together. Crying, I mean."
Clark touched her face lightly, tracing a finger along her delicate cheekbone. "You never have to apologize for that, Lois."
Lois sighed and stepped back. "I guess I have some thinking to do, huh?" Without waiting for an answer, she looked up at him and asked, "Would it be too much of an imposition to ask you to fly me home now? I'm afraid I wouldn't be any fun if I hung around here any more tonight."
Clark nodded. "Of course I can, Lois. Let me help you get your things."
**********
Lois had a hard time sleeping that night. And the next night. And the night after that.
The decision to move or to say in San Francisco weighed down heavily upon her. It was all she could think about. She managed to do her work during the day, but she found herself avoiding Jim after she'd caught him staring at her with concern the day before. He knew her well enough to know something was wrong, but he also knew her well enough to let her figure things out on her own. As in the past, he knew she'd come to him with whatever it was when and if she needed to.
But Lois had no idea what she'd even tell him. She was still weighing out the pros and cons in her mind. She was sure Jim would be upset to lose her, but what would she really be leaving behind? She had nobody she really called close friends, except Agnes. But out in Metropolis...things just felt real. She felt like she belonged, maybe more so than she'd ever felt in her life. Didn't that say something?
By Wednesday evening, Lois arrived home from work, solemn and distracted. She didn't even notice Agnes's door open several paces down the hall. Lois jumped when she felt the hand on her arm. She quickly spun to see who was beside her. When she saw it was Agnes, she gave an embarrassed laugh.
"Agnes," she breathed, putting a hand to her chest and feeling her heart racing. "You startled me."
The concern was evident in Agnes's eyes as her elderly neighbor stared back at her. "Lois, what's wrong? You've moped about these last few days, looking like you've lost your best friend." Then her eyes grew wide. "Something didn't happen between you and Clark, did it?"
Lois smiled and shook her head. "Oh, no, Agnes, it's nothing like that. I mean, something *did* happen, but it's not bad. Well, in a way it is, in that it means I've got some big decisions to make, but it's not--"
"Lois." Agnes stopped the younger girl's rambling by patting her arm. Then she smiled kindly and pulled Lois's hand away from the doorknob where she'd been about to insert her key. "Come with me. Judging from that incessant babbling you always do when you're worked up, I'd say you have something big to talk about."
~*~*~*~*~
Lois found herself sitting next to Agnes at her neighbor's table a short time later, sipping an herbal blend that did its part in soothing her ragged emotions.
"So, dear," Agnes said kindly after she'd taken a delicate sip of her tea and set it down on the table. "Tell me what's going on."
Lois sighed as she stroked the poodle that had jumped into her lap the moment she'd sat down at the table. Then she poured out the story. "Clark wants me to move to Metropolis," she announced, feeling somewhat better after having voiced the words. "Our relationship has finally reached that point when we can't keep going on as we are, living three thousand miles apart."
"So what's keeping you here?" Agnes prodded, lifting the cup once again to her lips.
"What do you mean, what's keeping me here?" Lois protested. "My job, for one. And you. I'm not sure I could leave you."
"Oh, phsaw." Agnes set her cup down and waved a hand at Lois, dismissing the claim. "I'm just a crotchety old lady who worries too much about you. You should go and be with the man you love."
Lois felt tears prickle in her eyes for what seemed like the hundredth time that week. "Agnes, I don't think you realize how much you mean to me. Ever since my parents and Lucy died, you've been like a mother to be. You came into my life when I didn't have anybody. Don't you think that means the world to me? How could I think of leaving without taking our relationship into consideration?"
Agnes's eyes grew misty as she reached over to cover Lois's hand with her own. "You think I don't know that, Lois, but I do. I've just never been the emotional type, and like you, I keep a lot of my emotions locked inside. And you..." She smiled tearfully and shook her head. "We're two of a kind, you and me. Maybe that's why we've gotten along so well all these years."
Agnes sniffled, then laughed as Lois sniffled, too. She stood up and reached for a couple of tissues from the box on the nearby shelf. She handed one to Lois, then used the other for herself.
When they managed to compose themselves, Agnes said, "That Clark is a fine young man. You couldn't do any better than him. You should consider yourself lucky to have found him."
"I know I am. And I love every minute I'm with him. But I just can't decide what I should do. What do you think I should do?"
Agnes smiled kindly and shook her head. "I can't tell you what to do, Lois, and I know I would miss you like crazy if you moved. But I do know that true love doesn't come along every day. And what's even more wondrous is that Clark loves you just as much as you love him." She grew misty-eyed once again. "I've seen the way he looks at you...like he's the luckiest man in the whole world. Some people go their whole lives without finding that special somebody to spend their lives with. It happened to me a long, long time ago, and I've regretted letting that man go every day of my life."
Lois's eyes widened and she gasped. "Agnes! You were in love with somebody? You never told me that."
Agnes nodded sadly. "John was wonderful. He treated me like a queen. But he was a military man, and I didn't like the idea of his unpredictable lifestyle. He moved around a lot, and often got sent overseas during international conflicts. I complained that I felt like there was never just me and him in our relationship; there were three people: him, me, and the military. I didn't think I could handle that."
Lois blinked back tears of her own, tears of understanding and sympathy. She had often wondered the same thing about Clark, knowing that she would always have to secretly share him with the world. She knew exactly how Agnes felt.
"So what did you do?" Lois finally asked, her voice a mere whisper.
"Eventually, he moved on and I let him go." Agnes shook her head sadly. "It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. It wasn't long before I realized how crazy I'd been to let him go. I found out where he was stationed and sent him a letter, telling him how wrong I had been, begging for another chance. I told him that I loved him enough to follow him all the way across the world and back, if that's what it took to be with him."
"And?" Lois prompted when Agnes paused.
"He wrote me back, telling me he'd met somebody else and they were getting married." A single tear curved a path down Agnes's wrinkled cheek as silence weighed heavily in the air. Finally she sniffed and wiped at the wetness on her face. "Anyway, that's all water under the bridge now. But I don't want to see you make the same mistakes I made all those years ago. If you know you've found someone to love, who loves and cherishes you in return, grab onto that. Never let him go. Don't you dare let trivial things like distance or trials in your relationship keep you apart. If you do, you'll regret it for the rest of your life."
Lois studied Agnes's solemn expression for a few moments, then she leaned forward to hug her friend. Agnes was right. The trivial things in her relationship were just that. Trivial. She loved Clark and wanted nothing more than to be with him. Suddenly the decision to alter her life to bring it into step with his didn't seem as hard to make.
"Thanks, Agnes." She hugged her friend tighter. "I love you."
Agnes hugged her back. "I love you, too, dear. And if you decide to go, you just remember to keep in touch, y'hear? And I'll want an invitation to that wedding of yours."
Lois laughed as she pulled away and sat back in her chair. "Agnes, he hasn't asked me to marry him."
"When someone asks you to move across the country for them, they're not just interested in a month-long fling," Agnes insisted. "He wants you to work with him, live near him, and be with him. Clark loves you, and I know you love him. At this point, an engagement ring would only be a formality."
Lois mulled that over in her mind. Engagement. Was it really only a formality? Finally she shook her head. "I don't know, Agnes. All I know right now is that I want to be with him."
"Then go to Metropolis to be with him," Agnes told her wisely. "But make sure he flies you out here to visit me from time to time."
Lois gasped as her world started to spin around her. "Agnes!" she exclaimed, trying to bring her thoughts back into focus. "How...?"
Agnes winked at her. "Like I told you once before, I may be old but I'm not dense. Do you think I'm unaware of how many times your terrace has been used as a landing strip? That man can't stay away from you, and to me, that says everything. He loves you, and you deserve that happiness, Lois. You've had too much heartache in your young life." She reached out to squeeze Lois's hand as she finished. "Now go and make that man happy. And make yourself happy in the process."
Lois went back to her apartment a short time later, shaking her head. She'd never thought of Agnes as 'dense,' but she'd certainly never expected that Agnes would have already had them figured out. In a way, that made the decision to leave a little easier. They both knew Lois wasn't really as far away as all that, not with Clark's ability to fly her out for visits.
And Agnes was right. The love she and Clark shared was special, something that only came along once in a lifetime. All those years that she'd been searching--for what, she had no idea--she had finally found it in Clark.
And she knew he was worth it. And she knew Clark felt the same way about her. By asking her to make one of the biggest sacrifices of her life her by moving across the country, by asking her to move away from a friend who *was* her family, he was asking for everything. But she knew *he* had already given her everything. He had given her his whole heart, entrusted her with her a secret no other person was privy to except the mother and father who raised him, and wanted to share his life with her.
When she thought about it that way, what decision really was there to make?
A smile started in her heart and spread onto her face. Suddenly the world seemed like a wonderful place. She was in love, and she now knew what road she was supposed to take.
But best of all, she couldn't wait to get started.
But first, she had a phone call to make.
**********
Clark had just come in from his nightly patrol when he heard the phone ring. Crossing the room, he checked the Caller ID and smiled. It was Lois.
With a happy heart, he picked up the phone. "Hi, my love."
Her lilting laughter came across the line. "What if it hadn't been me? What if it had been Perry? You would have died from embarrassment."
"Uh-uh," Clark said, a grin curving the corners of his lips. He walked over to the couch and sat down. "Caller ID is a wonderful thing. I knew it was you."
"Ohhh, I see," she drawled, a smile in her voice. "What are you doing? Did I catch you in the middle of anything?"
"Nope. I just got in from my patrol."
Her enthusiasm picked up a notch. "Oh, good! You're still in the Suit then?"
"Well...yeah." Clark looked down at his blue Suit in confusion. "Why? What's up?"
"I need you to come talk to me. Do you have a minute?"
He smiled again against the phone. "For you, anything. I'll be there in a minute."
"Great! See you then."
The line disconnected, and Clark clicked the phone off and set it on the counter before heading back out the way he came. It was only a couple of minutes before he was landing on Lois's terrace.
He slid open the sliding glass door and stepped inside. "Lois?"
She appeared from around the corner of the kitchen and smiled when she saw him. "Hi! That was fast." She walked over to kiss him, trying to slide her free arm around his neck without knocking him with her cast.
He laughed at the awkward maneuver and looked down to see what she was holding in her good arm. "What's this?" he asked, gesturing to the carton of ice cream in her hand.
"This," she explained with a smile, "is why I wanted you to come."
"To open a carton of ice cream for you?"
"Hah-ha, very funny," she drawled, setting the carton to the table. "No, this is what I do when I have something to celebrate."
"You eat chocolate ice cream?" He laughed and shook his head. "Why doesn't that surprise me?"
She picked up one of the two spoons on the table and shook it at him. "You'd better be nice or you're not getting any."
"Okay, okay, I'll stop," he said with a smile. He crossed over to the table and took the bowl she handed him. "What are we celebrating?"
Lois opened the carton more efficiently that he'd expected someone in a cast to do. Then she licked a drop of ice cream from her finger and smiled mischievously. "Do you really want to know?"
He rolled his eyes. "Of course I do, Lois. Are you going to fill me in or not?" He reached for the ice cream scooper when he saw she was struggling with it. "How many scoops?"
"Two."
He put the scoops in her bowl, then put the same in his. Then he handed her her bowl and picked up his. "So what's the occasion?" he asked, taking a bite of his ice cream.
She flashed him another mischievous smile. "Don't you want to guess?"
"Oh, we're playing that game, are we?" His eyes twinkled as he pretended to ponder the question. Then he guessed, "You're getting your cast off tomorrow."
She rolled her eyes. "Don't I wish," she grumbled, struggling to hold her bowl with her casted hand as she scooped with her spoon with the other.
"Umm...you won the lottery?"
Lois glared playfully at Clark. "Come on, you're not even trying!"
He laughed. "Lois, I'm awful at this game! Just tell me what happened."
She grinned mischievously at him as she took another bite of her ice cream, obviously enjoying torturing him. Finally, she waved her spoon in the air in a motion of surrender. "Okay, okay, I'll tell you." She set her spoon and bowl down and fumbled for something in her pocket. A moment later she pulled out a single key on a nondescript keychain. She tossed it to him.
"What's this?" he asked, catching it easily.
"It's the key to my storage unit down in the parking garage. I thought you might like a little project."
Clark's forehead wrinkled in confusion. "You want me to clean out your storage unit?"
She nodded. "Permanently."
Clark stared at her in confusion for a long moment. Then his heart started to pound as realization set in. "Lois, are you saying...?"
She nodded, the smile she'd been struggling to contain finally spreading across her face. "I've decided to move to Metropolis."
Clark's jaw fell open. He stood, speechless, for a long moment, as he tried to digest what she'd just told him. When it finally sank in, tears sprang into his eyes and he let out a whoop of joy. He rushed over to her, picking her up and twirling her around, kissing her over and over again. His tears mingled with hers as he continued to hold her long after he'd set her back down.
"Lois, you're really coming?" he asked when he finally pulled back, tears glistening in his eyes. "But what about your job? What about your apartment?"
"There's a waiting list a mile long for these apartments. Getting out of my lease won't be a problem. As far as my job goes..." Her smile slipped a bit and she looked apprehensive. "Do you really think I could get a job at the Planet? I don't want to give my notice here if I don't have a job to go to in Metropolis."
"I'm sure getting hired at the Planet won't be a problem. Why don't you call and talk to Perry in the morning? He's always there early."
"I think I will." Lois nodded.
Clark pulled her once again into his arms. "I promise you don't have anything to worry about. Everything's going to fall into place; you'll see. I'm just so happy that we're going to be together."
Lois sighed and snuggled deeper into his arms. "Me, too," she admitted, closing her eyes and feeling like the dream was finally coming true. "Me, too."
**********
to be concluded in the final part, part 34
